MA CURLY-HEADED BABY
(George H Clutsam 1926)
as recorded by Maxine Sullivan
January 28th 1942 New York
Oh my baby, my curly-headed baby,
We'll sit below the sky and sing a song to the moon,
Mm-mm-mmm, mm-mm-mmm.
Oh my baby, my curly-headed baby,
Your daddy's in the cotton field, a-workin' for the food,
Mm-mm-mmm, mm-mm-mmm.
So la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la bye-bye,
Does you want the moon to play with,
Or the stars to run away with?
They'll come if you don't cry!
So la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la bye-bye,
In the mammy's arms be creepin'
And soon you'll be as-sleepin',
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la bye.
Oh my baby, my curly-headed baby,
I'll dance you fast asleep and love you so as I sing.
Mm-mm-mmm, mm-mm-mmm.
Oh my baby, my curly-headed baby,
Just tuck your head like little bird below its mammy's wing,
Mm-mm-mmm, mm-mm-mmm.
So la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la bye-bye,
Does you want the moon to play with,
Or the stars to run away with?
They'll come if you don't cry!
So la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la bye-bye,
In the mammy's arms be creepin'
And soon you'll be as-sleepin',
La-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la bye.
(Transcribed by Peter Akers - January 2014)